Region 6 RDC pays tribute to country’s longest-serving councilor

The Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) has honoured Guyana’s longest councilor.

Thakoor Persaud, who passed away on March 11, had been a member of the RDC in 1985, until his passing at the age of 81-year-old.
When the RDC met on Thursday one minute of silence was observed in honour of the late councilor who previously served as the Chairman of the Black Bush Polder (BBP) Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) from 1994 – being the first Chairman of that NDC.
Number 72 Village Corentyne and when the BBP scheme was opened in 1961, he moved to that community to plant rice and cash crops.
Regional Chairman David Armogan referred to him as being a dedicated councilor who served with great distinction.
“Very rear he would be absent unless he was abroad but once he is in Guyana he would be here working with all of the committees that he was in.”
Persaud served on the Rice Assessment Committee, the Local Government Committee, the Agriculture Committee and also on the Rice Action Committee of the Ministry of Agriculture and he was also Chairman of the Board of Guardians Public Assistance Scheme.
“He served in many capacities. He had a membership of over 50 years with the Peoples Progressive Party; not many people can boast of that – over 50 years of service. So we will miss him,” Armogan said noting that the late Persaud was not a bench warmer but rather someone who made meaningful contributions to RDC meetings.
Armogan referred to Persaud’s passing as a serious blow to the RDC.
Meanwhile, Persaud was the second sitting council of the current RDC to have passed following the passing of Bridjet Chichester in October 2021. She was 57.
At Thursday’s meeting by way of a letter to the RDC, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) said it had extracted the name of Sharron Smith from A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) list of candidates to replace Chichester.
Smith, who was absent is expected to take the oath of office at the next RDC meeting.
Meanwhile, GECOM has also replaced the late Jevaughn Stephen on the New Amsterdam Town Council with Alison Grant. She took the oath of office when the Town Council met on March 26. (G4)